Free Republic

Three members of a California family pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy for their role in a ring that shipped $600 million worth of stolen catalytic converters from California to New Jersey, federal prosecutors said. Brothers Tou Sue Vang, 32, and Andrew Vang, 28, along with their mother, Monica Moua, 58, were part of “a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors” who provided the stolen auto anti-smog devices to a metal refinery for more than $600 million, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office. Twenty-one people from California and New Jersey have been charged in the case, prosecutors...

TOKYO -- The asking price for precious metals commonly found in catalytic converters has fallen to lows not seen in several years as demand declines in China, the world's largest automobile market. The most commonly traded futures for palladium hit a price of $1,204 per troy ounce in the New York market on June 28, a low not seen in four and a half years. The metal currently trades around $1,240, down 30% from the beginning of the year. Catalytic converters in automobile exhaust systems use precious metals such as palladium to transform harmful gases into less-toxic pollutants. Russia produces...

When the catalytic converter was stolen from Vanessa Reimer's Toyota Prius in Long Beach, she thought the repair would be a simple one, taking a few weeks at most. Then her local dealership delivered the bad news: The replacement part could take six months to arrive. Reimer, who is pregnant, may have a baby before her Prius has a new catalytic converter. "At first, I thought there must be something I could do," said Reimer, 32, a speech language pathologist at an elementary school, before she learned that there were 100 other drivers waiting on the same part. "But there...

A man is dead after he was run over by the driver of a car from which he was allegedly trying steal a catalytic converter in Palmdale.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile had to make a pit stop on Friday after thieves targeted the iconic vehicle. The catalytic converter on the 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels was stolen, according to Joseph Rodriguez with Penske Trucks. According to Rodriguez, his team at Penske helped give the vehicle a temporary repair so it could get back on the road. Rodriguez said staff at Penske near West Hacienda Avenue and South Decatur Boulevard sealed up where the catalytic converter had been cut. The iconic vehicle was back on the road and able to make it to...

Boulder Police give away hundreds of catalytic converter anti-theft kits Latest effort to prevent one of the fastest-growing crimes in Colorado By: Brandon RichardOct 22, 2022 BOULDER, Colo. – The Boulder Police Department gave away hundreds of catalytic converter anti-theft kits on Saturday, an effort to address one of the fastest growing crimes in the state of Colorado. Thieves can make thousands of dollars stealing and selling catalytic converters, which contain highly sought-after metals. “They can oftentimes get a couple hundred dollars from those metals and that's just for a couple of minutes work,” said Mitch Trujillo, the community services...

The Fremont Police Department said Monday that it shut down a recycling company buying stolen catalytic converters, putting an end to a “major pathway for criminal activity.” After a year-long investigation, the department established that the Arrow Recovery recycling company at 46025 Warm Springs Blvd. was buying stolen catalytic converters, the department said in a news release. To confirm the operation was illegal, an undercover officer sold cut catalytic converters to Arrow Recovery marked or etched with "stolen" or other markings suggesting they had been illegally obtained and the company repeatedly purchased the stolen devices. Catalytic converters have increasingly become...

A man who was trying to steal gas from a parked up box truck accidentally set himself ablaze in the process as fuel prices continue to soar. The shocking incident was all caught on surveillance camera footage as the man could be seen attempting to siphon fuel from the tank of a vehicle next to which he had parked his own white pickup in Salt Lake City. Authorities believe the man was using a drill in order to access the gas tank during which a spark ignited the flammable liquid. Static electricity, or sparks caused by the friction from the...

Catalytic converter thefts target of state bill by: Carly Moore Posted: May 7, 2022 DENVER (KDVR) — Countless catalytic converters are stolen in Colorado, behind many victims’ frustration and a call for change. The FOX31 Problem Solvers have been hearing these complaints for months. Auto thefts have risen by 5,100% in Colorado, according to the Colorado Independent Auto Dealers Association. And in the first three months of this year, the Denver Police Department said five catalytic converters are reported stolen on average each day. A new bill in the state legislature could soon become a law aimed at stopping this....

Man confronts catalytic converter thief, DPD urges others not to by: Carly Moore Apr 12, 2022 LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) – Denver Police told FOX31 that there were 500 reported catalytic converters stolen in the first three months of this year alone. That’s more than five every day. Denver Police are warning the public that it’s not just a costly nuisance but could be dangerous as well. Thieves are starting to post an armed lookout to intercept anyone who catches them in the act. Since March 2019, there have been 135 reported violent confrontations during catalytic converter thefts, or attempted thefts....

Stolen catalytic converter could be a total loss after insurance claim by: Rogelio MaresPosted: Apr 1, 2022 DENVER (KDVR) — Thieves are targeting catalytic converters at an alarming rate. FOX31 spoke with a woman who had hers stolen. She said she might lose her vehicle if she files a claim. Clothilde Syndor lives in an apartment building in Cherry Creek and said when she got her insurer involved after having her catalytic converter stolen, she was told her only means of transportation, her SUV, might be declared a total loss. Sydnor is somewhat of a pioneer in Colorado. “My dad...

Man arrested after several stolen catalytic converters found in his trunk By: Sydney IsenbergApr 01, 2022 WELD COUNTY, Colo. — A man was arrested Tuesday after several stolen catalytic converters were discovered in the trunk of his vehicle, according to the Weld County Sheriff's Office. Around 9 a.m. Tuesday, deputies were called out for a reported catalytic converter theft from an RV dealer outside of Longmont. Security video showed a gray Nissan sedan with "distinctive damage" to the rear passenger door as a possible suspect vehicle, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies remembered passing a similar vehicle at a nearby...

Denver police warn of armed lookouts during catalytic converter thefts By: Blair MillerApr 01, 2022 DENVER – Police in Denver said Friday they are seeing a pattern of catalytic converter thieves using armed lookouts while the emissions devices are being stolen and warned people not to engage with the thieves. Denver police said they made the discovery while trying to find patterns surrounding the string of catalytic converter thefts. The department said there have been around 135 reports of people showing a firearm or pointing one at someone during a catalytic converter theft over the past three years. But Denver...

Jefferson County Homeowner Shot At While Stopping 2 Suspects From Stealing Catalytic Converter By Jack LowensteinMarch 4, 2022 JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) — Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of an attempted theft that involved shots fired at a home Friday morning. According to Jeffco Sheriff, around 6:15 a.m. a homeowner in the 8300 block of S Allison Street confronted two suspects who were attempting to steal a catalytic converter on their property. The homeowner intervened, and a physical altercation took place, where the homeowner likely grabbed one of the suspects, and the second one pulled a gun...

(NEXSTAR) – Should you be worried about thieves stealing your car’s catalytic converter? The answer may depend on what kind of car you’re driving.Catalytic converters, which help scrub pollutants from your engine’s exhaust, have become more and more attractive to thieves in recent years. Thanks to the increasing prices of the precious metals used in the production — i.e, platinum, rhodium and palladium — an ill-gotten catalytic converter can “typically” fetch between $50 and $250 when sold to an unscrupulous recycling facility, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).The pandemic has only driven up demand and prices of these...

BELLEVUE, Wash. — A Bellevue family’s catalytic converter was stolen from their Prius and it was caught on surveillance video. The family told KIRO 7 that they are grateful they did not go to the door last week Monday after hearing a loud noise outside. Just before 5 a.m., two people showed up at the Bellevue home. While one man got underneath the car, the other stood guard with a gun pointed at the home. Police said they are investigating. “I hate to say that a thief is smart but they know what vehicles to target,” said Bryan Davis, a...

A Missouri man trying to sell a catalytic converter online has been arrested after a huge stash of meth and a syringe were spotted in the background of the photo he used for the advertisement. James Kertz, 38, was taken into custody in Reeds Spring on Wednesday after posting a photo of the catalytic converter on Facebook Marketplace. His bag of meth and drug paraphernalia were clearly visible on the coffee table behind the exhaust emission device he was trying to get rid of. Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader said someone tipped them off to the drug stash soon after...

Each country has different preferences for goods, and vehicles are no different.Consumers in a dense country might prefer smaller cars, while countries with wide expanses (and parking spots) open the way for larger trucks. Likewise, rugged terrain might call for vehicles that can adapt and scale quickly.And, as Visual Capitalists' Omri Wallach notes, it’s also a question of which manufacturer invested in the country. As the world’s largest automakers have raced to attract consumers in every corner of the globe, they built factories, renamed models, and even built specific cars to fit the tastes of individual countries.This infographic from Budget...

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — A 54-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing another man who was attempting to steal a catalytic converter from his truck, and then dragging the man's body behind the truck and dumping it into a field in Lakewood. The victim was identified by the medical examiner as Brent Peltomaa, 40. According to court documents, Michael Scott Campbell told police he was sleeping in his Ford F-150 around 3:45 a.m. Saturday when he was woken up by someone attempting to saw the catalytic converter off his truck. Campbell told police he saw two legs sticking out from...

The link tells the story of the growing crime. Here is a DFU report of the crime while visiting the grandkids in Tacoma. Late at night, perhaps around 11pm, a neighbor across the street was returning home from work and saw a lowlife scumbag or scumbags attempting to steal our Honda Element catalytic converter. They had cut through one pipe and almost through the other, but they fled the scene when they realized the neighbor saw what they were doing. The catalytic converter now hangs on the ground and I have to get it repaired or replaced. Thank you, scumbags....